Sagira's Choice
by ImhotepsGirl
Summary: She must decide if she wants revenge for her parents' death.
1. The Secret

Body This story will be the last in this little series. As much as I love Merenre and company, there time is now past. Like Ms. Weisz said, "I can do no more for the character of Evelyn." Or something like that. In any case, the Mummy characters don't belong to me, Merenre, Sagira, and Daniel do. 

Sagira was sixteen when she found it. Her mother had been foolish enough to hide a book from her. It was small, leatherbound, and it looked self-published. 

At first, it looked like a love story. Then it became violent and sad. Sagira stayed up all night reading. She cried through most of it. It was her mother's memoirs. When she got to the end, her tears had dried. At once, her anger grew. Someone had some explaining to do. 

In the morning, Sagira took the book down to the kitchen, where her parents were sitting at the table waiting on breakfast to cook. She stood beside her mother and slammed the book down on the table. Her mother looked at it in surprise. "Oh, my!" 

"Anything you'd like to tell me, _mother_?" she asked. 

Her father slowly stood and backed out the kitchen door. 

"Oh, Sagira," her mother began, "we wanted to tell you so many times. But we knew if you found out the truth, you'd hate us!" 

"And you thought having me find out this way was any easier?" Sagira screeched. 

"Your father was an evil man-" 

"Evil! Evil?" Sagira couldn't contain herself. "All he wanted was love! How is that evil?" 

"He killed many people!" 

"_Evelyn_," she said, enjoying the hurt look that crossed her so-called mother's face, "if he had been left alone, everything would have been fine." 

"But then you woulnd't have been born," Evelyn said, trying to be helpful. 

Sagira ignored this. "And my mother only did the same. She was protecting her love." 

"I didn't kill either of them," Evelyn said truthfully. 

Sagira snorted. "So you sell out your husband at the drop of a hat!" 

Evelyn stood. "It's not like that! Why yell at me for something I didn't do and belongs in the past?" 

"You lied to me!" Sagira yelled, supressing the urge to slap some sense into her. "And you make a living dealing with the past!" 

Evelyn was quiet. 

"I can't stay here any longer," Sagira said. "I'll pack my things and be out today." 

As Sagira turned to leave, Evelyn leapt forward and touched her arm. "Honey, I know you feel awful right now, but know you will always be welcome here." 

Sagira narrowed her eyes at Evelyn. "I will remember that." 

************ 

After much thought, Sagira had decided that raising her father waas not the best solution to the problem she now faced. Her father's tortured soul would probably not be able to deal with more. Her mother was definitely out of the question. She would only want her love back. 

Only two choices remained. She could either exact revenge on her own, or bring someone else who would be happy to do away with the O'Connells. 

Her first objective was to find the Book of the Dead. Sagira had long known that the book on display at the museum was not real. Now she knew why. It had been decided after it's last recovery that it be kept in a secret location. Only three people knew where the book was. The curator of the museum, Evelyn, and the person who had it. 

The curator wasn't going to tell her where it was, even though she was, for all purposes, Evelyn's daughter. Since she obviously didn't know who had it, that left Evelyn. But how could she get Evelyn to tell her? Sagira needed a plan. She took off to make a phone call. 

*********** 

After she got the Book of the Dead, Sagira was going to need smoeone to read it for her. Evelyn had been smart and hadn't taught her how to read the hieroglyphs. She had taught Alex though. This was who she had decided to call. 

"Alex, you must come home," Sagira said once she placed the call. He was in Cairo raising funds for a dig. 

"Why?" Alex asked. His work meant everything to him. At twenty-five, he had yet to marry. It would take something important to bring him home. 

"Mom needs you," Sagira said, hating the word. "She said she had news that she needed to tell everyone." 

Alex was silent for a moment. "Why didn't she call herself?" 

Sagira was impatient. "I don't know! She just told me to call. Now get here quick. I'll meet you at the airstrip." Sagira hung up before he could reply. She knew he'd come. 

Several hours later found Sagira waiting at the airstrip. She had borrowed a friend and his car for her plan. Greeting Alex with a hug, she said, "I have a car waiting." 

Both got in the backseat, and Sagira's friend drove off. From the floorboard, Sagira produced a rope. 

"What's that for?" Alex asked. 

"You," Sagira replied in a low, even voice. "You will let me put this on you." 

Alex gave a little laugh. "You're kidding, right?" 

"My friend has a gun. He will use it. Please do as I say." 

Alex looked to the front, and Sagira's friend nodded. He bit his lip in frustration as Sagira bound his hands tight behind him. 

"So Mom doesn't have something to tell us?" he asked. 

Sagira scowled at him. "She is not my mother." 

Alex's eyes grew wide. 


	2. To Get The Book

Body Sagira had Daniel, her friend, stow Alex in his basement. Daniel took the back stairs so his parents wouldn't know. Once there, Daniel tied Alex's ankles together, then tied a cloth around his mouth so he wouldn't alert anyone. 

They all sat together on the floor. One part of her plan was done, but she still wasn't happy. "How do I get that book?" she asked Daniel. "They won't just give it to me because I have Alex. They'll just try to rescue him." 

"Don't tell them you have him," Daniel said. 

Sagira looked at him. She wondered how he had stayed her friend so long. "Um, Daniel, if they don't know I have him I don't have much to bargain with, do I?" 

"Oh, yeah." 

Sagira sighed. 

"Why can't you just take it from the museum?" Daniel asked. 

"That book isn't the real one." 

He thought for a minute. "What about that other book?" 

"What about it?" Sagira replied. 

"Well, why can't you just use _it_?" 

"Because it's not-" Sagira jumped up. "That's it!" she hissed. 

Daniel looked at her blankly. 

"I'll take the other book! If I do that, they'll have to trade me." 

"Will it work?" 

"As far as I know, that book isn't much good to anyone. But it's gold. It's an artifact. Eveyln will want it back. I just need her to come after us and bring the book. That's where Alex comes in." 

Sagira told Daniel to keep an eye on Alex while she left to make another phone call. "Eveyln, we need to talk." 

"About what?" Evelyn asked. "Your parents?" 

Sagira snorted. "Not quite. You have something I want." 

"What would that be?" Evelyn was now suspicious. 

"The book." 

"The book? You want my diary?" 

Sagira thought the games should be over. "I want the Book of the Dead." 

Eveyln was silent. 

"I don't want to raise my parents, if that's what you're thinking." 

Now she was confused. "Then what do you want it for?" 

"You don't need to know that!" Sagira snapped. 

"Then you don't need the book," Evelyn said angrily. 

"Oh, but I do. Meet me at the museum in the morning." She hung up. Now she had work to do. She had to steal the Book of Amun Ra overnight. 

Sagira entered the O'Connell home late that night. She was after one thing, a book she had seen long ago and not paid much heed to. It was a thick red book with yellow type. She would need it's information. 

With Daniel's help, and several supplies, Sagira made a small part of her plan become a reality. She was now ready for the Book of the Living. Daniel stayed to watch Alex as she headed for the museum. 

She had to wait for over half an hour before she finally got what she wanted. A group of four young boys walked down the street. Sagira had often seen kids roam the streets all night. She began to talk to them. 

"Hey, what are you doing out so late?" she asked them. 

"What's it to you?" one of the boys said with a smirk. 

Sagira smiled, which confused the boys. "I've got something for you to do." 

Now they were vaguely interested. "What's that?" the same boy asked. 

"If you help me steal something, I'll give you a piece of the profit." 

The four boys huddled together and discussed it. The boy who had been talking agreed. Sagira informed them of the plan. 

The boys all strolled into the museum's front entrance. The guard came up to tell them the museum was closed. Sagira snuck in through the back exit. The curator, she knew, was still inside, so the place had not been locked up yet. The boys begand to make a fuss that drew the attention of the man guarding the door to the books. He went over to help his partner, and Sagira darted into the room. She pulled off the glass and within seconds she had the Book of Amun Ra. Sagira ran out the exit as the boys were being shoved out the front door and she took off toward Daniel's house, having never intended to give the boys any payment for their help. 

In the morning, she returned to the museum. This time she waited at the entrance. Evelyn arrived shortly after. 

"Do you have the book?" 

"Of course not! I'm not going to let you have it." 

Sagira shook her head. "I'm sorry to hear that. I know Alex will be sorry too." 

Evelyn immediately changed her tone. "What are you talking about?" 

"Well, _Evelyn_, I have two things you want. You only have one. What will happen is, you'll give me the book in exchange for one of these things." 

"Alex?" Evelyn interrupted. 

Sagira gave her a look and continued. "When I am done with the book, you can have it back, along with the second thing." 

"What do you have?" 

"Bring the book to this address tomorrow morning and you will find out." Sagira handed Eveyln a piece of paper. 

After saying goodbye, Evelyn disappeared around a corner. Sagira went back to Daniel's house to go over the rest of her plan. 

******* 

Thus ends the second installment. Should you come up with any interesting ideas, or wish to take a stab at what her plan might be for the Book of the Dead, feel free to leave your thoughts! 


	3. The Plan Comes Together

Body Note: I noticed a consistency with some reviews about my work flowing to quickly. I thought I'd just address it now by saying that this is my writing style. I get to the point. Too many details bother me and make me feel like my work will be boring. I like things going quickly because that way the reader doesn't have to spend so much time running through unimportant things and can actually enjoy the story. Thanks though. 

The next morning, Sagira sat in a local diner, the address she had given Eveyln, a knapsack in the seat next to her. She waited patiently for her to show up. Sagira didn't have to wait long. 

Evelyn walked in the door and sat down across from Sagira without saying a word. The book was not with her. 

"Are you trying to play games?" Sagira asked angrily. "Where is it?" 

Evelyn looked at her levelly. "It is safe. It's in the car." 

"Bring it in here and you will get your prize." 

Evelyn glanced out the window and nodded. Rick stepped out of the car with the book in his arms. Sagira smiled. 

"Good," she said. "And don't forget that if you try anything, Alex will die." 

Evelyn sucked in her breath. 

"I will make it home," Sagira replied. Evelyn understood that if she didn't go home, Alex would be killed. 

"Why are you doing this?" Evelyn asked. 

"You know why." Sagira waited as Rick set the Book of the Dead on the table. She then opened her bag and took out the Book of Amun Ra, placing it next to the other book. She took the Book of the Dead and put it in her bag. 

Standing, Sagira nodded to them. "Good day. Tomorrow morning you will meet me back here. At this time, you will get this back along with Alex." 

As she left, she wondered what exactly they had planned. After all, she knew they wouldn't have given her the book without _some_ sort of plan to stop her from using it. Once at Daniel's house, Sagira told him to find a young woman and bring her back. Daniel gave her a strange look, but left. 

Sagira let Alex speak. She got a knife and cut the rope around his mouth, letting the cloth fall on his lap. "What is this? Is he your slave?" 

She laughed. "No, you are." 

Alex looked at her, confused. "What do you want from me?" 

"You're going to do some reading for me. That's all you need to know." Sagira produced the Book of the Dead from her bag and put it in front of him. 

Alex's eyes grew wide. "If I don't?" 

"You will die." 

Alex was silent. 

At that moment, the outside door to the basement flew open. Sagira jumped. A man in black rushed toward her. Instinctively, she threw the knife at him. Sagira was surprised to see it lodge in the man's side. He dropped to the floor in pain, but not before throwing a knife of his own. It caught Sagira in the leg. She screamed and fell. 

Pulling the knife out of her leg, she quickly wrapped the cloth and rope around her leg that had held Alex's mouth. The man was already getting up. Sagira threw his knife back at him but it bounced harmlessly off him, handle first. It was then Sagira got a good look at the man. 

"Ardeth Bay!" 

The man stopped. He had pulled her knife out of his side and was holding it, ready to fight. 

"What is this?" Sagira cried. "Is _this_ their great plan? You're trying to stop me, when you've screwed up your job so many times?" 

Ardeth looked hurt, which surprised Sagira. She would have felt bad, if he hadn't been trying to kill her. "I must stop you." 

Sagira had no weapon. She cursed herself for throwing his knife back at him. He picked his knife up, so he was holding one in each hand. 

Daniel came back then. He cursed when he saw the door, hanging slightly off it's hinges. Then he saw Ardeth. "Whoa!" He held up a gun. 

Sagira frowned. "Where did you get that?" 

"I found it on this girl," he said. "I think she's with the police." 

"What?" Sagira screeched. "You brought me a _policewoman_?" 

Daniel looked back out the door. Sagira assumed it was at the woman. "I don't know exactly. Do you want the gun?" 

Sagira nodded, glancing at Ardeth. He looked like he was weighing his consequences. Daniel walked over to Sagira, keeping the gun on Ardeth. Sagira took it from him. 

"Now, you can either die or leave." 

Ardeth glared at her. "I will die before you use that book." 

Sagira faltered. She had expected him to leave. Unsure of whether or not she actually wanted to kill someone herself, she closed her eyes and pulled the trigger. 

When she opened her eyes, Daniel was standing over Ardeth, who was lying on the floor in a puddle. "Take him outside, please," Sagira said. "And where is the woman?" 

Daniel pulled the body up the stairs and outside. When he came back in, a cute little blonde was with him. She was obviously drunk. 

"Daniel!" Sagira cried. The blonde, who had been giggling hysterically and apparently oblivious to the body she had passed before coming in, quickly shut up. "I can't use her! She's drunk!" 

Daniel looked down. "She was the only one I could find." The blonde started laughing again. 

Sagira limped over and slapped the girl hard in the face. Immediately the joy stopped. The woman glared at her angrily and leapt toward her. Daniel grabbed her arms. Sagira smiled and stood nose to nose with her. 

"Still drunk?" Sagira asked sweetly. She looked at the woman closely. She _seemed_ alert now. "Didn't think so." 

Taking a few pieces of extra rope, Sagira gestured to Daniel that he put the blonde on the kitchen table. Soon the woman was tied to it. 

Sagira went to Alex next. She loosened his ankle bindings enough for hiim to walk. 

"What are you? A witch?" Alex asked. 

"No, why?" 

"He looks like he's under a spell to me." 

Sagira looked to Daniel, who was staring at the woman. Despite her cursing at him continuously, Daniel's face was expressionless. "Oh, that. No, he's just stupid." 

Once Alex was in a chair by the table, Sagira set the book back on his lap. "I want someone's soul in this body. Do it for me." 

Daniel handed Sagira the knife Ardeth had. She put it to Alex's throat. 

Alex swallowed. "Who?" 


	4. The Fight

Body The next morning, Sagira, Alex, and Daniel sat in the diner. As promised, she also had the book. 

Evelyn and Rick walked in. "Alex!" Evelyn cried. Alex went to his mother and they hugged. 

"Awww," Sagira said sarcastically. Daniel snickered. As they came to the table, Sagira placed the dagger on the table. Rick and Evelyn gasped. "Next time, send someone more competent." 

Rick started to argue but Evelyn held him back. "This isn't the time." 

"Where is he?" Rick demanded instead. 

Sagira frowned. When they had gone outside later, the body was gone. "I don't know." 

"Then he is alive," Evelyn breathed. 

"Don't be so sure of that," Sagira said. _She_ wasn't even sure. 

"Where is the book?" Rick asked. 

Sagira smiled and put the Book of the Dead on the table. Rick picked it up. The family started toward the door when Sagira stopped them. 

"Don't you want to know what I wanted it for?" 

They turned toward her. 

"It is time," Sagira said. 

A figure stood from further back in the diner. As the person turned, Evelyn and Rick could see a blonde woman in modern clothes. The woman began to walk toward them. Evelyn narrowed her eyes. There was something familiar about those confident footsteps and that I'm-better-than-you-will-ever-be smirk, even if the face didn't look at all like someone she knew. 

The woman stood before Evelyn. "Nefertiri," she said. 

Evelyn gasped. 

"We live to fight again." 

"Anck-su-Namun!" 

****************** 

Sagira could hear Rick arguing with Evelyn as they left the diner. She knew Nefertiri would not back down from the challenge. The two had agreed to weapons combat set behind the O'Connell home. It had the space and privacy that was needed. 

Anck-su-Namun looked at Sagira. For her to take over the body, Anck-su-Namun had to force the other woman's peronality out completely. She was in total control, which is what she needed for the fight. Unfortunately, it meant Sagira could not communicate with her. The ability for Anck-su-Namun to speak English left with the other woman's personality. 

To get Anck-su-Namun to cooperate with her, Sagira had to spin her tale a bit. She told her mother's worst enemy that it had been Evelyn who killed her love, Imhotep. At first, Alex had refused to tell her that, but Sagira made a deep cut in his leg that changed his mind. She knew Alex would tell Evelyn of their plan. 

Unfortunately for Evelyn, Alex didn't know the best part. They weren't just going to fight. Anck-su-Namun was going to kill Evelyn/Nefertiri. 

******************** 

Sagira would have preferred a better method than just a duel of sorts, but as long as Anck-su-Namun did her job she didn't care how it was done. Anck-su-Namun practiced in Daniel's basement with the triple-bladed daggers Sagira had read about in Evelyn's diary. Evelyn had borrowed these from the museum. 

As Sagira watched, she became slightly disappointed. Anck-su-Namun had a disadvantage of sorts. She was not in a body at all familiar to her. Nefertiri was being the usual good guy type and taking this into consideration. Evelyn's only disadvantage seemed to be two personalities in one body, something which her diary claimed was a very minute problem. 

Before the appointed time of battle, Sagira had to go to the hospital to get her leg fixed up. They arrived at the O'Connell house late, but no one was worried. 

A large stone circle had been made in the backyard. The two women were to fight within the circle. The rules were not clear to Sagira because as soon as Nefertiri stepped into the circle, Anck-su-Namun struck her first blow. 

Nefertiri looked at her bleeding arm for a second, then took after her enemy with a force Sagira ahd never witnessed in Evelyn. The two women fought all around the circle, using moves that left Sagira breathless just watching. Nefertiri was backed against the edge of the circle. She lashed out, and Anck-su-Namun jumped back. It was too late. Nefertiri had drawn a thick line across her cheek. 

Anck-su-Namun stepped back to the middle of the circle. With a sly grin, she lowered her weapons to her sides. Bowing her head slightly, she gave no sign of what happened next. She was calm one second, the next her arm was straight in front of her. Only five seconds could have passed since she had been struck. 

"Evelyn!" Rick screamed. 

Sagira thought at first she had fainted. Evelyn lay on her back, half outside the circle. Then Sagira saw the triple-bladed knife sticking out of her chest. 


	5. What Happened?

Body Sagira had a happy childhood. Anything she wanted, she got. She toured with her parents, just as Alex did. She hadn't been jealous of anyone or anything, even though Alex had finished school when he was twelve and sometimes she had to stay home to catch up on schoolwork. 

Alex had been not only her brother, but a good friend. And she could always count on two things: Evelyn's advice and Rick's protection. She even enjoyed laughs with Uncle Jonathan. 

Even thinking she hated Evelyn and Rick with every fiber of her being, she still had the past. Therefore when Sagira saw Evelyn lying there in a pool of blood, she actually felt bad. 

Anck-su-Namun stood triumphantly in the middle of the circle. Sagira just knew Rick would turn his anger on her, and she stepped behind Anck-su-Namun for protection. 

Sagira was not prepared for what happened. Rick drew his gun. Screaming, he pulled the trigger. Even Alex was in shock. The bullet went straight through Anck-su-Namun's heart and Sagira felt it rip through her. All became dark. 

************** 

Sagira woke to confusion. She thought she was in her bedroom, but something was wrong. It took her several seconds to realize why. Her room was cream colored. This one was white. Therefore she was not in her room. 

"Welcome back." 

Sagira turned her head and pain shot through her upper left half. A nurse gave her a sympathetic smile. "I bet you'd like something for that." 

"Yes," Sagira whispered, finally understanding. She was in a hospital. 

"Do you know where you are, who you are?" 

Sagira said yes again. 

"Do you know why you're here?" 

This question took more time. She remembered a fight, between Anck-su-Namun and Nefertiri that she made possible. But that was all. 

The nurse helped her. "You were shot through the shoulder. Lost a lot of blood. We almost weren't sure you'd make it." 

Sagira frowned. That's right. Rick shot her. Damn him. He was supposed to be like a father to her. But then, she _had_ killed his wife. 

"Evelyn," Sagira whispered. 

The nurse gave her a shot. "Hold on." She left the room. 

When she came back in, someone was following her. The nurse stepped back outside. Sagira screamed. 

"Evelyn!" 

***************** 

After Sagira had calmed down, she started asking questions. "How did this happen? The book I gave you was fake!" 

Evelyn narrowed her eyes and smiled. "I know." She explained. 

After Rick fired his shot, both Anck-su-Namun and Sagira fell. Alex ran to get the Book of the Dead, but when he opened it, there was nothing inside. 

Rick grabbed Daniel, who was standing over Sagira and crying. "Where is it?" 

"She's dead," Daniel sobbed. 

No matter what Rick did, Daniel would only repeat those words. Finally, Rick knelt to check Sagira. "She's alive. There's a heartbeat." 

Daniel started blubbering. 

Rick shook him. "Tell me where the real book is!" 

"My house," Daniel managed between incoherent sentences. 

Alex took Rick to Daniel's house, leaving Daniel alone with the three women. Sagira was the only one alive at that point so there was no reason to mistrust him. 

In Daniel's basement, Alex took the book from the table and they hurried back to the O'Connell home. 

Rick took Evelyn into the house. Alex read from the book and brought his mother back. After the disorientation had passed, Evelyn helped them decide what to do. 

Everyone piled into the car, including Sagira's unconscious form and Anck-su-Namun's now-uninhabited body. Daniel was dropped off at his home, with Sagira, to tell the hospital that an intruder had shot Sagira. Rick, Evelyn and Alex went to bury the body that had held Anck-su-Namun in a secluded spot. They would work out other details later. 

************** 

"And guess who is in the next room?" Evelyn finished. 

Sagira couldn't think. "Who?" 

"Ardeth Bay. You didn't kill him after all." 

Sagira groaned. 

Evelyn sat on the edge of the hospital bed. "Look, I know you hate me. I know you hate us. But killing me isn't going to solve your problem. We'll always have the book." 

Sagira began to cry. "But they did nothing wrong!" 

Evelyn sighed."Your parents were tortured souls. They couldn't have survived together or apart." 

Sagira recognized her own thoughts in that statement. It had been why she chose to bring back Anck-su-Namun. 

"I know you understand what I'm saying," Evelyn said. "What's done is done. Nothing can bring them back to a happy existence. They belong in ancient Egypt. Let them stay where they belong." 

Sagira said nothing. 

"Sagira, honey, I don't want to fight anymore. I can't keep explaining everything." 

"You shouldn't just get away with this," Sagira finally said. 

"I didn't get away with anything," Evelyn reminded her. "I died, remember?" 

"That's not good enough." 

"What can you do now? You know you won't try to bring your parents back. You can't kill us because we will come back. I'm willing to let this go, but if you try this again we'll have to commit you." 

"So that's how it is?" Sagira sneered. "You threaten me?" 

"You leave me no choice." 

"Leave me alone." 

"You'll stop this?" 

"I make no promises," Sagira replied. 

"You were like a daughter to me once," Evelyn sighed as she left the room. 

Sagira cried again. "You were like a mother." 

~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~The End~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~ 


End file.
